ApoE4.Info

Iv`e read a couple of articles recently that claims children with the apoe4 gene are less intelligent that other genotypes. It claims that apoe4`s start life with a marked disadvantage, especially girls. This would explain why I got such terrible marks in school and left at 15 with no qualifications!

I read a lot of articles on a lot of subjects that say whatever they want. Journalists are journalists, not scientists or critical thinkers. How the heck did they determine APOEe4 gene is less intelligent? The gene has to do with carrying lipids and as a result of certain lifestyle choices, tends to onset cognitive decline faster than the other alleles, but starting off life less intelligent? Please provide the science behind that allegation.

My dad, who obviously carried at least one 4 since I'm a 4/4, entered the Navy at 17, breezed through the computer schools they sent him through always top of his class, and made a living as an electrical engineer as a self-taught engineer, he never went back to college after WWII. My siblings were all top performers in school. My husband, who carries a 4, is a graduate of one of the toughest engineering schools in this country. Just about every 4 I've ever met has been brilliant.

So there, you just read something that says the contrary with probably as much substantiation as what the articles cited contained.

hairyfairy wrote:Iv`e read a couple of articles recently that claims children with the apoe4 gene are less intelligent that other genotypes. It claims that apoe4`s start life with a marked disadvantage, especially girls. This would explain why I got such terrible marks in school and left at 15 with no qualifications!

I'm sorry you had to leave school at 15, my friend. Since I'm 67 and started out as a high school English and social studies teacher in the 1970's, I know that in this country--and I suspect in the UK also, it was FAR more acceptable to allow or even encourage kids to drop out of school without any high school diploma or certifications.

And because I went back to school to study learning differences and spent the rest of my career trying to help kids be successful in school, I know that about 99% of the time, the reason why kids leave has NOTHING to do with their intelligence, and everything to do with the skill, energy, resources, and commitment of their teachers and school to creating a belief in the FACT that intelligence is not one thing, but many things. I knew people who could not sound out words who became astro-physicists, because their minds were wired for math and science, and others who didn't like school who became jewelers and construction managers and bakers and school bus drivers and on and on.

And, for what it's worth, as someone who tested LOTS of kids, I can tell from your wide-ranging interests, reading and good writing that you are plenty intelligent. So if there's a program near you that lets adults go back and get their certification, go for it!! You'll prove to yourself and everyone else that you are a smart cookie!

The area where I grew up had some of the worst schools in the country, & the school I went to catered for girls like me who were quite low down on the socio economic scale. No one in my class passed their 11 plus. The only expectations for girls like me was to leave school as soon as possible, go to work in a shop or factory & get married as soon as possible. Being smart was considered weird.

I was placed into an advanced public education track in elementary school due to a high IQ. I graduated summa cum laude from Boston University with an electrical engineering degree. I returned to school in my mid 30's to get a Physician Assistant degree, and graduated at the top of my class. I may be dumber than dirt now, but was relatively intelligent earlier in life!

There was other research papers we reviewed early on that showed a 10ish point IQ advantage to E4. But further investigation showed it was in countries where child infection rates were high and it seemed the advantage was that because of not being as sick, E4s were getting better nutrition.

Here is a summary of some study correlations, some of which show an advantage:
https://content.iospress.com/articles/j ... /jad181089

FWIW my IQ=128.

I'm Apoe 3/4, 67 yr old female. I have a doctorate degree in mathematics. I graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University; I'm in Phi Beta Kappa.

I've read conflicting studies. Some suggest very slight reductions in IQ. Others suggest slight elevations in youngsters. My impression is that any effect is quite small, on average.

Folks on the forum are an impressive bunch! But we're also self-selected.

FWIW #2: My father has at least one E4, & he has a PhD in chemical engineering from UC Davis. Although he is by no means a genius, he worked really hard. He was actually rejected by the PhD program at the University of Washington, didn't give up & transferred to UC Davis & got it there!